First Look: Mossberg Magpul Series Shotguns

Though the Mossberg 500 series shotgun is anything but new, the company has given the tried-and-true workhorse a serious upgrade by adding Magpul furniture. The new Magpul Series includes the Mossberg 500, 590 and 590A1 models.

Mossberg’s Magpul Series shotguns feature an SGA stock and MOE forend. The SGA stock has a built-in spacer system for length of pull adjustment and is fully ambidextrous. The spacers can be removed or added with the turn of a flat-head screw, allowing you to adjust LOP for different size shooters.

The SGA stock also comes with a recoil-reducing butt pad and interchangeable cheek risers. The Magpul SGA High Cheek Riser Kit is particularly useful when utilizing an elevated optic or raised sights, while the butt pad makes long days of training with a 12-gauge shotgun, and particularly slugs, much more bearable.

The MOE forend features extended length front and rear hand stops for improved control and is fully compatible with MOE rails, mounts and accessories.

Gunsite Tested
G&A staff recently traveled to the Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona, to test drive the new Mossberg 590A1 Magpul edition shotgun. With the expert guidance of rangemaster Chris Weare and instructor Dave Hartman, we ran the 590A1 through a two-day tactical shotgun training course complete with loading drills, several interactive courses and a shoot house.

Not only was the Magpul Series 590A1 a workhorse in the summer heat, it even made a few converts out of a couple of shotgun-averse gun writers.

GALLERY: Mossberg Magpul Series at Gunsite

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<h2>Gunsite Academy </h2>Founded in 1976 by Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, <a href="http://www.gunsite.com/main/" target="_blank">Gunsite Academy</a> is one of the premier firearms training facilities in the world. While Cooper started the training program specifically to teach the modern technique of the pistol, it now offers a broad range of training for everything from tactical shotgun to big game hunting. Gunsite's primary draw, however, is its world-class trainers, like Chris Weare and Dave Hartman, who ran our tactical shotgun course.

<h2>Gunsite Academy </h2>Founded in 1976 by Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper, <a href="http://www.gunsite.com/main/" target="_blank">Gunsite Academy</a> is one of the premier firearms training facilities in the world. While Cooper started the training program specifically to teach the modern technique of the pistol, it now offers a broad range of training for everything from tactical shotgun to big game hunting. Gunsite's primary draw, however, is its world-class trainers, like Chris Weare and Dave Hartman, who ran our tactical shotgun course.

<h2>Mossberg Magpul Series Shotguns</h2>The <a href="http://www.mossberg.com/products/shotguns/mossberg-590a1-special-purpose/590a1-magpul-exclusives" target="_blank">Mossberg Magpul Series shotguns</a> feature an SGA stock and MOE forend. Training was completed with a Surefire light attached to a Picatinny rail on the MOE forend. Most shooters removed several, if not all, spacers from the SGA stock to shorten length of pull and make the shotgun as maneuverable as possible in tight quarters. The recoil-reducing butt pad greatly diminished the number of sore shoulders after two full days of training.

<h2>The Experts</h2>Whether you're a newby or an old pro, the expert instructors at <a href="http://www.gunsite.com/main/" target="_blank">Gunsite Academy</a> will send you home with a wealth of practical knowledge and tactical skill. Here, Dave Hartman watches as a line of shooters carries out a tactical reload drill.

<h2>Watch & Learn</h2>Here, instructor Dave Hartman demonstrates the proper technique for transferring the shotgun from your right to left hand.

<h2>Running the Gauntlet </h2>At <a href="http://www.gunsite.com/main/" target="_blank">Gunsite</a>, training is done on the range to perfect simple drills like reloading and shooting from your opposite hand, and then tested in lifelike shooting scenarios. Here, a shooter works his way through an interactive course where he's forced to engage steel targets while using barriers like a wall and pickup truck.

<h2>Shoot House </h2>Rangemaster Chris Weare shows a group of gun writers the proper way to enter a room or building with a shotgun.

<h2>Grip & Rip</h2>Though the Mossberg 500 series shotgun is anything but new, the company has given the tried-and-true workhorse a serious upgrade by adding Magpul furniture.